


An Alpha Thing

by sinseeker (inperpetualreverie)



Category: J2 - Fandom, Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alpha Jared, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Angst, Bonding, Bottom Jensen, Fluff, J2 AU, Knotting, M/M, Oblivious Jensen, Soul Bond, Top Jared, WIP, Werewolves, Work In Progress, coffee shop AU, grumpy jared
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-05
Updated: 2016-03-24
Packaged: 2018-03-16 09:45:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 9,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3483584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inperpetualreverie/pseuds/sinseeker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jared’s an Alpha from Black Rock, and Alphas from Black Rock have a big, fat reputation following them around. They’re big. They’re powerful. They’re the most Alpha-y Alphas that have ever Alpha’d. Only, Jared’s nowhere near Black Rock right now, and at this moment he kind of feels like his entire life has been a lie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a work in progress, so please be patient with me. Is this even worth finishing? Kudos, advice, and comments are love! Bless all of you for taking the time to read what little i've started. Unbetaed. All mistakes are my own.

_Jared’s an Alpha. From Black Rock, and Alphas from Black Rock have a big, fat reputation following them around. They’re big. They’re powerful. They’re the most Alpha-y Alphas that have ever Alpha’d. Only, Jared’s nowhere near Black Rock right now and at this moment he kind of feels like his entire life has been a lie._

* * *

 

 

“Um. You all right there, big guy?”

  
And that’s when Jared snaps to and finds himself standing at the front of a line full of impatient people waiting to get their afternoon caffeine fix, with his head tilted to the right, neck bared, fucking _submitting_ himself to the green-eyed tempter behind the counter.  WHAT. THE. FUCK.

  
Jared snarls then. Like, full on snarls. There’s no other way to describe it. Bared-teeth and everything.

  
“Whoa. Just trying to be friendly,” green eyes says as he throws his hands up and backs away a little, probably to prove he means no harm, Jared thinks. He’s a werewolf after all, and the guy should definitely know that when one’s standing in front of you looking as pissy as Jared does right now, the sane option is retreat.  
Only this guy must be a mile closer to crazy than anything else, because one second he’s backing away from the counter and the next he’s doubled over with laughter, completely oblivious to the fact that Jared’s about three seconds from ripping his throat out with his teeth.

  
Only Jared doesn’t. He doesn’t even move. He stops snarling, stops breathing and just watches, transfixed.

  
“Y-you actually growled at me!” the guy manages, still a little breathless from all the laughing. “You must really need caffeine, buddy. How ‘bout an extra shot, on the house.” The guy gives him an espresso and a million watt smile and Jared can’t tell if he wants to lick it off his face or tear out his heart. Their fingers brush quickly when Jared reaches for the steaming cup, and just like that, he catches his neck doing that fucking _thing_ again like he’s got no control over it.

  
“I’m an Alpha,” Jared huffs out before turning away from the counter.

  
Green-eyes is left standing behind the counter, looking amused as Jared nearly tramples a line of innocent people standing in the way between him and the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't hate me. I promise the chapters will get longer.

Leaving home was not an easy decision for Jared. Leaving meant abandoning his family, his friends, his _pack_.  
He loved his home, but he didn’t belong there anymore. He never belonged, not really. He’s an Alpha. A _Padalecki_ Alpha, so it should have been easy for him to fit in, especially where he’s from.

But he’s always been different somehow, like something inside him is wrong.  He's just never felt right in his own skin.

Jared was never showy like the rest of the alphas in the area where he grew up. He knew he was strong and attractive enough, but he never felt the need to flaunt it. And when he never showed any interest in hooking up with the pretty girls that were always following him and his friends around, he was ridiculed.  It stung, sure, but he never really let it get under his skin, because whoring around wasn’t for him.

He didn’t want just anyone. He wanted a mate, someone to bond with. Someone to share his life with. And he hadn’t found what he was looking for in Black Rock.

So, in the middle of the night, with a couple of bags filled with his belongings, and a pillow he could never sleep without, he jumped into his truck, and let the road pull him away from everything he’d ever known, and toward something he never thought he’d find.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, it's another VERY short chapter. Don't kill me. I've been dealing with a lot of family issues and haven't had time to write much. Love you all. Thanks for reading. Feedback is love.

Jared had absolutely no idea where he was going when he left home. He didn’t even know which direction to turn after he passed the Black Rock county limits, but that didn’t bother him. Something deep in the pit of his stomach was pulling him somewhere, pulling him to something. The road was leading the way, he was just along for the ride, and for the first time in his life, he’d never felt so content.

He was ready for a new beginning, some new scenery, some new faces, and, well, if he happened to find a mate and settle down somewhere, that would be great too. But for now, he’s just along for the ride. A lone alpha, a long highway, and his entire future ahead of him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry the update has taken so long. I've been dealing with personal issues. Love to all of you! And thanks for reading! <3

It didn’t take long for Jared’s legs to grow restless, so around a hundred miles South of Black Rock, he decided to exit off the interstate and head into the next town. Nearly twenty minutes later, when his headlights finally flashed upon a nice little “Welcome to Prosper, Indiana – Do Well, Live Well, Be Well,” sign, he thought about grabbing a motel room for the night.

It was a cute town, he thought, as he rolled up to the only stop light in sight. And it was quiet, with absolutely no sign of night life, which was entirely the opposite of Black Rock. He wasn’t sure which way to go, but there seemed to be nothing but houses scattered to his left, and no signs or arrows or neon anything to point him to any specific place one way or the other, so he turned right, hoping it’d take him someplace he could stretch his legs and catch some sleep for the night.

As he made his way through the quaint little town, he took notice of the shops lining the streets – no big name stores to steal anything away from the local businesses. He passed an Apothecary, a small Thai food place, an antique shop, and a small bar with a few cars still parked outside, before he reached the town square, which was absolutely breathtaking, with an enormous old-timey courthouse right in the center of everything. The square was littered all the way around with lamp posts, which bathed the sidewalks and storefronts in an amber colored light. There were more shops circling the courthouse, and Jared instantly knew it was a place he’d want to see during the day, when everything was awake.

He eventually found the Prosper Motel, right on the edge of town. There were plenty of vacancies, as it turned out. The friendly front desk clerk, a bouncy guy named Chad, pointed out that one: Jared was the only person who’d checked in for weeks, two: there were vending machines just outside, and three: the only place in town to grab a decent cup of coffee was the Full Moon Café, just across the street, but it didn’t open until six.

So with that information, a shiny room key, and his favorite pillow, Jared checked into his room for the night, looking forward to spending the next day exploring the town and meeting new people. People who didn’t know he was a Padalecki. People who didn’t know him at all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

It’s eleven a.m. before Jared wakes up, the morning sun peaking through the blinds on the window over his bed. He rolls over and checks his phone, knowing exactly what he will find: four missed calls, an angry voicemail from his father, and one concerned message from his mother, simply inquiring about his whereabouts, and asking him to please call home. He’s not quite ready to face either one of them with an explanation about where he’s gone or why he left without leaving so much as a goodbye note. They wouldn’t understand. He barely understands it himself.

After his shower, he heads out the door, with designs on getting a nice espresso. He walks across the street to The Full Moon Café, stomach rumbling, hoping it’s the type of place that still serves breakfast at this hour. The place is crowded, which surprises Jared because for some reason he was just assuming that small towns don’t get moving as early as the rest of the world. But noon is early for Jared, so who knows. The phrase _sleepy little town_ flits through his mind, and he smiles.

Before he even sets foot inside the café, he’s hit with the aroma of roasted coffee beans and the promise of freshly baked pastries. He breathes it in and steps inside, assessing the crowd. They all seem to be enjoying their mornings, and the lemon bread the lady in the corner is eating looks heavenly. There’s something off, though, but he can’t quite place it yet. There are so many smells and voices and grinding and whirring noises of the coffee making process, it’s like all of his senses are being assaulted at once and he can’t focus.

He steps in line behind a short guy with longish brown hair, clad in blue jeans and cowboy boots. Jared thinks he’d like to wear cowboy boots. He could totally pull them off. Maybe he’ll buy some at the leather shop he passed around the square on the way to the motel last night.

The line is moving slowly, but the closer he moves to the counter, that sense from before, that something’s off somehow, sets his nerves on fire. He starts to feel a little antsy and he has no idea why. There’s nothing strange happening, he’s not being threatened but his hackles are rising just the same anyway. He scents the air, trying to catch something, _anything_ that could be causing him to be so on edge, but he comes up with nothing. Weird. Underneath the fragrance of the café, everything smells so human. Completely human. It doesn’t make sense.

He’s stuck in his own head trying to sort the whole thing out when he’s suddenly snapped back into reality where the barista is giving him a bemused look, asking him if he’s okay. And the people in line behind him are growing impatient.

He feels like he’s about to crawl out of his skin – the same kind of feeling he gets when it’s been too long since his last shift, so he spits out his order with a little more venom in his voice than he intended, and the next few minutes play out like some kind of dream. He feels like he’s in a haze, and he’s fucking submitting to the guy behind the counter. _Him_. _Submitting._  This must be a nightmare. Then the guy is actually laughing at him, like there's something hilarious happening while Jared's about to rip something apart. He’s An alpha. A Padalecki Alpha. The whole god damned world feels like it’s tilting upside down and he has to get away from this place as soon as possible.

He doesn’t even apologize to the people he nearly knocks over on his way out the door, and as soon as he steps outside the café he starts to feel guilty about it. Guilty and hungry. He didn’t even have the presence of mind to order any of the delicious looking baked goods that everyone appeared to be devouring with such delight.

He feels calmer outside. Everything feels nearly normal again, and he breathes in deep, chest heaving like he’d just gone for a run. He finally gets his bearings back and decides to walk into the main part of town to explore a little, and see what small town life is like. It’s not a long walk, and he really needs to stretch his legs before he goes crazy.

It’s been a strange start today, he thinks. But he blames it on waking up in a new place without the comfort of his pack surrounding him, and he keeps on walking.


	6. Chapter 6

It’s not like Jared hasn’t seen his fair share of pretty guys, but there’s something about the asshole from the coffee shop that he just can’t shake. He doesn’t really want to go back there again. What happened in there, the whole neck thing, it was fucking humiliating. But the coffee was excellent, the atmosphere was nice, and the place is within walking distance from his hotel room.  So what’s he supposed to do? Leaving town doesn’t feel like an option right now. He's here for a reason. Something about this place feels like it has drawn him in, and it’s just not in his makeup to fight against the forces of nature.

The first stop on his Tour De Prosper is a little secondhand store slash craft shop called _This and That_. It’s adorable, and it’s here that he meets a feisty little redhead named Danneel. She greets him with an _aren’t you just a tall drink of water_ followed by a firm handshake. Turns out she’s the owner, and has been since the shop opened eight years prior. She started it up right after high school with her best friend and partner, Genevieve.

"Partner," Jared asks, "like partner partner or just business partner?"

"This town may be Small, Mr. Padalecki, but we’re pretty progressive when it comes down to certain things, so I hope you don’t mind seeing openly gay couples ‘round here if you intend to stick around for a while."

“Call me Jared, please. Mr. Padalecki is my father, and I’m nothing like him. I know all about the progressive lifestyle, if you catch my drift.”

He asks Danneel about the barista at The Full Moon Café.

“Oh, you must be talkin’ about Jensen. He’s such a sweetheart, didn’t you just adore him? He makes the best cup of coffee around.”

Jared thought his run in with Jensen was anything but adorable, but he didn’t voice that to Danneel. He’s just not that rude. He was raised better than that.

Before he leaves _This and That_ , he purchases an oversized coffee mug that says _I like it hot._ He plans to give it to Jensen as an apology for his behavior this morning. He’s nothing if not a gentlemen, and he feels like he needs to give Jensen and The Full Moon Café another chance.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is short, but the next one will be longer, and there will be more jared/jensen interaction. i'll also be updating more often. i've been dealing with personal issues. So sorry to have kept you all waiting.

* * *

 

It’s a little past six, and Jared’s settled on his bed, a tumbler of good whiskey in one hand, and the tv remote in the other.

He hasn’t eaten yet, and his stomach grumbles, displeased.

He thinks about heading over to The Full Moon Café, but he needs a shower first. All the walking he did this afternoon left him all sticky with sweat, and his clothes are a little rumpled. The Alpha in him doesn’t want Jensen to see him like that. He may not be a showy Alpha, but he’s prideful, as much as he hates to admit it.

He doesn’t know for sure if Jensen’s still working, but he doesn’t want to risk it.

So he orders pizza instead, from a little place called Mamma’s, and it’s the best damn pizza he’s ever had in his life.

So far there’s nothing about this little town that he doesn’t like, and he smiles to himself. Maybe one day he’ll call this place home. Maybe he’ll get an apartment or buy a house instead of living out of a motel room. Maybe He could be really happy here. In Indiana of all places. His pack would call him insane. His father would have far worse things to say. Jared tries not to think about that right now. He’s just not ready to deal with anything that has to do with back home. He’s on his own adventure now. This is about him, and he’ll be damned if he’ll let anyone ruin this for him.

He spends the night watching trash tv and thinking about Jensen.

He wonders if Jensen will accept the mug Jared bought him as an apology, or if he’ll think that Jared’s just some kind of weird freak who growls at complete strangers and then buys gifts for them.

He guesses he’ll find out tomorrow morning. After he hits the town library, the café will be his next stop. Maybe he’ll settle into a corner there for a few hours, enjoy the aroma of good coffee, read a good book, and do some people watching.

======================

 Jared’s alarm blasts the most annoying song ever. He has no idea how he’s gone this long without changing it. He supposes he’s just used to it, and if he changes it, he might not wake up to whatever he might change it to. So he’ll keep it for now. But god damn, he hates that sound.

He jumps out of bed, takes a quick shower, and spends entirely too long picking out an outfit to wear. Not that he really brought much with him when he left home, but surely he had the mind to pack something decent in his rush to get out of Black Rock.

He settles on a faded pair of blue jeans, a tight fitting black t-shirt that shows off his well defined chest, and a blue flannel. He’s satisfied with the way he looks, so he takes one last glance in the mirror and heads down to the lobby.

Chad’s waiting at the reception desk when Jared makes his way downstairs. Chad’s got a smile on his face like he’s happy as could be just to be working there.

“You headed to the café?” Chad asks while Jared’s on his way out of the lobby.

“Yeah, after I head over to the library. I think I should give it another chance. It didn’t exactly go well yesterday.”

Jared conveniently leaves out the part about him basically submitting to the beautiful barista. No one needs to know that.

“What happened, man? The people are awesome there, and Jensen makes the best cup of coffee on the planet.”

Jared sighs and rubs a hand over his face. “The coffee was great, Chad. I was just having an off day, I guess. I was a little rude to Jensen and I think I need to apologize or something to make it up to him.”

Chad laughs. “I wouldn’t worry too much about it, Jared. Jensen’s used to grumpy customers. He deals with the morning rush every single day, and believe me, people aren’t exactly the friendliest before their first caffeine fix for the day.”

This makes Jared feel a little better, but he still wants to explain himself. If he’s going to be a part of this town, he needs all the friends he can get.

“Thanks, Chad. I’m still gonna apologize, though. It’s the right thing to do.”

“You’re a nice guy, Padalecki. And you’re my favorite guest. Well, my only guest, but you’re still the coolest guy who’s dropped by here in a long time. I hope you stick around for a while.”

Jared smiles, feels something warm him from the inside, and says “you know, Chad. I think I might.”

“Cool. See you later, dude. And good luck with Jensen. Not that you’ll need it. He’s a pretty laid back guy. And with the way you look this morning, I doubt he'll give you any trouble at all.”

That last comment doesn't even register with Jared as he walks out the door and heads to the town library. 


	8. Chapter 8

 

It only takes Jared 15 minutes to walk to the library, but even at ten in the morning, the sun is blazing. There’s already sweat pooling around his throat and on his lower back, causing his shirt to stick to him uncomfortably. But the second he steps into the Prosper Public Library, he’s hit with a blast of refreshing cool air. He takes a deep breath and everything starts to feel good again.

Libraries are one of Jared’s favorite places to be. The smell of books, new and old alike, the peace and quiet, and the way he can just get lost in the maze of shelves for hours at a time. He doesn’t have to focus on anything but the books here. He doesn’t have to worry about what’s going on back in Black Rock. He doesn’t have to feel guilty about leaving home the way he did. He can just pick a book and give himself over to it.  
  
He’s always been an avid reader, and he’s never really had a favorite genre. He just loves them all. He’s spent most of his life with his nose buried in books – something he was often ridiculed for back home. Alpha’s were supposed to focus on training, on being warriors and becoming great leaders, not immersing themselves in fantasy worlds.

But Jared’s never really wanted to be a great leader. He just wants to be. He wants to be happy and settled. He’s not actively looking for it, but if it’s in the cards for him to have a nice little mate somewhere down the road, well that’d just be icing on the cake.

Mate. There’s that word. Since Jared was old enough to understand, his father drilled it into his head that he needed to find a sweet little omega to mate and breed with. Jared is a Padalecki Alpha, a high born, and the next in line to take over after his father steps down as pack leader. He’s supposed to carry on the family lineage.

But those are Jared’s father’s dreams. Not his. Jared doesn’t want to be pack leader, and he’s definitely not ready to start having pups. He’s barely even had a chance to breathe on his own since he was born, and this – this being all alone on his own thing, well, it’s something he knows he needs to do. He laughs to himself at the notion of using the phrase _finding himself_ , but that’s exactly what it feels like he’s doing, and come hell or high water, he _will_ find himself. And he thinks he can do it here, as just Jared. Not Alpha Jared. Not as a high born. Not as a leader. Just as plain Jared.

The pretty young lady at the front desk quietly greets Jared with a brilliant smile when he passes by. If he were interested in girls, she’d probably be the type he’d go for. She’s got long, sleek black hair pulled back into a neat pony tail and she’s wearing this form fitting black dress that shows off every nice curve. He looks at her for a little longer than what might be considered appropriate, but he can’t help himself. She catches him staring and he, at least, has the decency to blush and duck his head a little. Just because he’s not attracted to women doesn’t mean he can’t appreciate beauty when he sees it.

Jared makes his way over to the paranormal section located in the back near a few brightly colored bean bag chairs. He’s not even really sure what he’s in the mood to read, but he’s always been drawn to novels about werewolves. It’s like his own inside joke – reading about all of the different ways writers portray his kind. He’s read tons of them, and so far they’ve all missed the mark. But it doesn’t make them any less interesting. He thumbs along the books until one catches his eye. _The Werewolf of Paris_ , by Guy Endore. It’s old. Like 1933 old and he’s never heard of it before. He glances at the back cover. The story is set in pre-Revolutionary Paris, and seems like it might be a good read, so he sticks it under his arm and heads to the front desk.

The pretty lady, Sophia, as it turns out, is genuinely sweet and has a small freak out over Jared’s book of choice. Apparently she’s a werewolf buff and has read nearly everything ever written about them.

“What’s your name, sir?” Sophia asks politely.

“It’s Jared. Ugh, please don’t call me sir. It makes me sound so old.” Jared laughs

“Well, Jared, this book is so good, you’re just gonna love it, it’s one of my favorites.” She winks at Jared.

Jared smiles in return. “I’ve never even heard of this one. Probably because it’s so old. I hope it’s as good as you say it is.”

“Well if you don’t find it to your satisfaction, we have plenty of other paranormal stuff to choose from, and we’re open every day.” Sophia grins.

“That’s good to know. I’m not from around here. Just getting my bearings, you know? Everyone seems real nice, though.”

“Yeah, we’re a pretty small community. It’s an everyone knows everyone type of place. I imagine you’ll be the talk of the town pretty soon. When Tall Dark And Handsome rolls into town, people are bound to talk.” Sophia teases

“Well, you’ve certainly got the tall part right.” Jared smiles as wide as anything. He can imagine himself being friends with Sophia. She’d probably be fun to have drinks with.

“Okay, Jared. It’s due back five days from now, but something tells me you’ll be back before then.”

“You’re probably right. It was nice to meet you, Sophia. See you later.”

Jared walks back out into the sweltering heat with a smile on his face. Suddenly the humidity doesn’t bother him as much. There are people milling about the town square, but he doesn’t pay much attention to them. He’s just really looking forward to having an iced coffee at The Full Moon Café and delving into this book. And he might be a little embarrassed by how excited he is to give Jensen the coffee mug he bought for him.

Jensen’s gift looks like it was wrapped by a three-year old. Jared rolls his eyes at himself. He can’t even wrap a fucking coffee mug properly. Maybe he should have asked Danneel to wrap it for him before he left _This And That_ the other day. But it’s too late for that now, and Jared’s crossing the street from the motel with the mug in one hand and his book in the other.

When he enters the café, it smells just as amazing as it had the last time he was here. It smells like perfectly roasted coffee beans and as soon as he reaches the counter, his eyes go directly to the giant chocolate chip cookies.

“They’re freshly baked.” Jensen says. “Just got them out of the oven myself.”

Jared’s famished. “They look amazing. I’ll take two. And an iced vanilla latte. Please.”

“Sure thing, handsome. So long as you promise not to growl at me today.” Jensen laughs.

Jared’s face blushes bright red. “Yeah, I’m really sorry about that. I was having an off morning or something. Actually, I felt so bad about the whole thing that I bought you this.” Jared shoves the terribly wrapped gift into Jensen’s hands.

“Whoa, for me? You don’t even know my name, and you’re already buying me things?” Jensen grins.

“About that. I’ve actually been asking around about you. You should be pleased to know that everyone I’ve talked to simply adores Jensen The Best Coffee Maker In Town.” Jared laughs

“Well that’s no fair. You know my name, and I don’t know yours.” Jensen makes an exaggerated pouty face.

“I’m Jared. It’s nice to officially meet you, Jensen. Now open your gift before I die of embarrassment.”

Jensen tears at the wrapping paper, glances at the mug, and gives Jared the biggest, most beautiful smile on the planet. “Thank you, Jared. I love it.”

Jared rubs the back of his neck. “It was no problem. I’m just glad you’re not pissed about the whole growly thing.”

Jensen throws his head back and laughs at that. “Believe me, I’ve seen stranger things.”

“Well, I’m glad I’m not the strangest, I guess.” Jared smiles. “Is it okay if I grab a seat in the corner and read for a while? I just checked out this book and I’m dying to get into it.”

“You’re welcome to any seat in the house for as long as you want it. Go ahead, I’ll bring your coffee and cookies out.”

Jared picks the table in the back corner away from the window. He’d prefer to keep as cool as he can, and the heat seeping in from the window would probably make him sweat, and Jensen’s making him do enough of that already. There’s just something about the guy that Jared just can’t shake. It’s like his insides are vibrating. His palms are sweaty, and he feels like a nervous wreck.

Jared’s already half way through the second page of his book when Jensen comes by his table with Jared’s order.

“ _The Werewolf of Paris,_ huh _?_ ” Jensen asks. “You into the whole werewolf thing?”

“Yeah, something like that,” Jared grins.

“I’m more of a vampire guy myself,” Jensen laughs “vampires are hot.”

“Hot, maybe. But they’re not real.” Jared says.

Jensen shakes his head and smiles. “What, like werewolves are?”

“It’s been said,” Jared sighs “that there are werewolves roaming the whole country.”

Jensen downright giggles. “Okay werewolf boy, I’ve gotta get back to work. But stick around as long as you’d like. It’s not so bad to have something nice to look at.” Jensen winks at Jared then, and Jared nearly chokes on his coffee.

Surely Jensen can’t be serious about not believing in werewolves, Jared thinks. Everyone knows they exist. Don’t they?

Jared thinks he’d like to spend some time with Jensen. Outside of the café. Maybe, just maybe, he’ll work up the nerve to ask him to go have a drink with him later. But for now he has a book to get back to and some delicious cookies to devour.


	9. Chapter 9

It’s Friday morning and Jared wakes to the sound of his phone ringing. Over and over and over. Even as he buries his face in his pillow he just knows It’s his Mama. She’s been calling once a day since he left, but she’s not giving up with just one call this time, and she’s not leaving any voicemails, so he knows she means business.

He ignores the first three calls, trying his best to squash the guilt he feels that’s sitting like a stone in his belly. But he eventually gives in.

 He loves his Mama, he really does, but he’s not looking forward to this conversation. He knows how it’s going to go. It’s played out in his head a hundred times since he drove away from Black Rock that night with nothing but a bag and a heart dead set on breaking free. But if he’s learned anything in his lifetime, it’s that It’s just best to man up and get his ass ripping over with. So when she calls a fourth time, he sits up, braces himself for all hell to break loose, and with a little trepidation in his voice, he answers with a simple “Hi Mama.”

“Jared Tristan Padalecki, where on earth have you been? I’ve been beside myself with worry, and your father is absolutely furious. He’s a heartbeat away from sending out a few of the pack members to look for you and drag your hide back home.”

Jared flops back on the bed and runs a hand through his messy hair.

“There’s no need for that, Mama. I’m fine. I just need some time to myself.”

“Jared, honey, you have a responsibility to this pack. You know what you’re meant to do here. It’s what you were born for.”  
  
She's just repeating what he’s heard his whole life, but this time it almost sounds like she doesn’t really mean it.

Jared takes a deep breath, exhales slowly. “Mama, what if I’m not who everyone thinks I am? What If I’m meant for something else, _born_ for something else?”

His mama’s silence goes on for so long Jared thought she might have hung up on him and readied the trackers to come get him.  
  
Then she sighs, probably disappointedly, Jared thinks, and he almost feels like throwing up. The last thing he ever wanted to do was disappoint his Mama. She’s always been his biggest supporter, has always been there to give him an understanding shoulder to lean on, especially on days when his father had been particularly hard on him.

“I’ve feared this day my whole life, young man.” His mama says, gently.

“What do you mean?” Jared’s genuinely confused.

“You’ve always been… different, Jared. Special. I felt it the day you were born.”

Jared almost laughs at that. “Mama, I don’t feel special. It’s been drilled into me my whole life that I’m supposed to be this big, roaring leader. But I don’t feel like one. I’m nothing like Father. He’s fierce and commanding, and I’m – I’m just not like him. I can’t lead the pack. I don’t want to.”

He knows he sounds like a petulant child, but he can’t help it. He doesn’t want to fucking lead anything.

“Your father will never accept that, Jared.”

Jared knows that. His father has never understood him, and there’s no chance he’ll start to after all these years.

“What am I supposed to do, Mama?” Jared asks quietly, eyes suddenly stinging with the threat of tears. He’s an adult, but right now, in this moment, all he wants to do is bury himself in one of his mama’s hugs and pretend everything is going to be fine.

“I can hold your father off for a while, but you know he’ll come looking for you eventually. You can’t run from your destiny, son.” She says, sounding sorry. And Jared knows she is. _You can’t run from your destiny._ Those are his father’s words, and he’s heard them too many times over the years. Since the first time he made the mistake of telling his parents, over dinner one night when he was eight, that he was going to move away and become a writer when he grew up.

“Thanks, Mama.” He knows that if it were up to her, he’d be left alone to do whatever he felt he was meant to do. She always secretly indulged Jared’s fantasies about being whatever he wanted when he grew up. She’d even take up for him when his father thought he was spending too much time reading and not enough time training. _A true leader should have a sharp mind as well as a strong body, Gerry,_ she’d always say. “I really appreciate it,” Jared sighs. “I just need this time.”

“I know you do.” Jared thinks she sounds like she’s going to cry. “Please answer when I call again.”

“I will, Mama. Talk soon.” He says. And he means it. He’s just not sure if he’ll be able to tell her what she wants to hear. He doesn’t want to go back to Black Rock. He knows he’s meant for something else, and if he has to spend the rest of his life running away from his fucking destiny, he’ll do just that.

He knows he needs to get up, get out of bed, take a shower, and eat something, but all he wants to do is run. He wants to shift, he wants to howl until he can’t anymore, he wants the universe to hear his cries. He wants it to answer him back, tell him what he’s supposed to do, where he’s supposed to go, who he’s supposed to be. He wants answers, damn it, he deserves answers.

He jumps out of bed, clad in sweats and a shirt so worn thin you can practically see through it, but he doesn’t care. He has to move. He throws on his shoes, and in a couple of long strides, reaches the door, rips it open with enough force that he’s surprised it didn’t fly off its hinges, and comes face to face with Jensen. Who’s juggling a couple of coffees in one hand, and holding up the other like he was preparing to knock.

“Wha- Jensen?” Jared barely manages.

“Morning, Jared,” Jensen grins brightly, completely unaware that he’s just caught Jared in the middle of a near breakdown.

Jared just stands there, gaping, suddenly trying to catch his breath.

“You gonna let me in? I brought coffee.” Jensen pushes past Jared like he owns the place.

Jared steps back, closes the door, and quietly follows Jensen to the flimsy table in the corner of his room.

“Um. Thanks. Coffee sounds great.” Jared’s still trying to wrap his mind around Jensen being here. He doesn’t recall telling him which room he was staying in.

“Well, I had the morning off, and I called Chad at the front desk. He said you hadn’t left yet, so I thought I’d surprise you. A thank you, you know. For the mug.” He shrugs, and Jared can’t help but notice how bright his green eyes are this morning.  
  
Jared’s suddenly aware of how he must look. His hair feels like a mess, and he’s still in his bed clothes. He crosses his arms over his chest, blushing a little. He knows his shirt doesn’t hide much of anything.

Jensen just smirks and flops down in one of the chairs, making himself at home.

Jared sits down across from Jensen, takes a drink of the best coffee he’s ever had, and moans approvingly. “Dude, they don’t make coffee like this where I’m from.”

“Well, they don’t have me where you’re from,” Jensen laughs.

Jared thinks that if they did, he’d have never left Black Rock in the first place.

Jensen moves his cup in little circles, looking kind of awkward for the first time since Jared’s met him. He looks up at Jared through these ridiculously thick lashes, smiles shyly, and Jared’s skin starts buzzing. He bares his neck a little before he catches himself doing it. He doesn’t know what’s happening to him, but it feels like that first day he stepped into The Full Moon Café. He starts breathing rapidly, jumps up from his seat and starts backing away, eyes wide.

Jensen moves as if to reach out for Jared, but he stops himself. He looks worried, and Jared wants to tell him that everything’s okay, that he’s happy to have him here, but his voice won’t let him, and his body is screaming at him to run.

So he does.

He runs out of the room as fast as his feet can take him. He runs through the lobby, ignoring Chad’s cheery “Mornin’, man.” He runs through the motel parking lot and toward the wooded area just outside of town.

He shifts. He wants to know what’s happening. He howls, crying out to the universe. He needs to know what he’s supposed to do, where he’s supposed to go. He howls until he can’t anymore, he runs until his body gives up.

He asks for answers. But all he gets in return are flashes of green eyes and freckles.


	10. Chapter 10

“So you flipped out and ran away from him. If that’s the worst thing that’s ever happened in your life, then you’re doing pretty good.” Chad says before slamming down three shots of tequila in quick succession, motioning for Jared to follow suit.

They’re at _Kane’s,_ a rustic little pub situated on the corner of the South side of the town square.

It had been two days since Jared had sequestered himself in his room after he returned from his whole breakdown. Or panic attack. Whatever the fuck it was. And the only things he could think about were that he had to do the walk of shame through the motel lobby, covering himself with a newspaper while Chad laughed his ass off and gave him a breathless _dude, I’ve had nights that ended just like this_ , and more upsetting, the fact that there were two abandoned cups of coffee still sitting on his table from Friday.

Every time he looked at them it reminded him all over again that Jensen was actually there, in his room. That he didn’t dream the whole damn thing up, and it made him want to bury himself under his blankets and hide forever.

And he had every intention of doing just that. But then Chad came pounding on his door with an _enough is enough, dude, let’s go get trashed and I’ll show you what nights are supposed to be like in this town._

So here they are, on a Monday night, knocking back shots of tequila like they won’t have to wake up tomorrow.

“It’s not the _worst_ thing,” Jared says, throat burning with the promise of a nice buzz later, “but it was bad, man. You should have seen the look on his face.” Jared rests his head in his hands. Maybe if he doesn’t look up, he won’t have to look at himself in the bar’s mirror, and if he doesn’t look at himself, he won’t have to see what a pathetic mess he looks like.

Jensen must think he’s completely insane.

 “Jensen is a cool guy, Jare. Just tell him what happened. He’ll understand.” Chad says, signaling the bartender to bring them another round.

How’s he supposed to explain what happened when he doesn’t even know what’s going on himself? How is he even supposed to start that conversation? _Um, hi._ S _orry I freaked out on you the other day, but, you see, I’m an Alpha. A_ Padalecki _Alpha. Who’s suddenly beginning to feel all kinds of crazy things, including the infuriating urge to submit himself. To you. A human. Who doesn’t believe in werewolves._

Yeah, that’ll go well.

“I don’t even know what happened, man. I just- I was just overwhelmed with the urge to run, you know? I had to.”

Chad’s just nodding his head like he gets it.

“Where’d you run to?” Chad asks.

“The forest at the edge of town.” Jared replies, taking another shot. They should probably switch to beer if they want to live to see tomorrow.

“And you came back wearing a newspaper.” Chad giggles.

“And I came back wearing a newspaper.” Jared nods solemnly.

“Dude, lighten up. As a guy who’s experienced his fair share of public nudity, I can assure you that you’re taking this whole thing way too seriously.” Chad says, punching Jared lightly on the shoulder. “And you’re ruining my buzz, so knock it off already.”

  
Jared’s starting to feel pretty good, and he certainly doesn’t want to ruin Chad’s time, so he takes a deep breath and promises to forget about the whole thing with Jensen. He’ll go to the café tomorrow and try to make things right. Tonight is supposed to be about fun and letting loose and with Chad by his side, a nice cold beer in his hand, and the house band playing some good music, he thinks tonight will be a damn good night.

It’s nearly two hours later before Jared hears Chad yell at him from across the bar. He honestly hadn’t noticed until that minute that he’d been having a conversation with the empty stool beside him. He looks around, trying to find where Chad’s obnoxious yelling is coming from, and he finds him sitting at a booth in the back of the bar beside a guy with messy brown hair. Directly across from Jensen.

So much for forgetting about the guy for a night.

Shit.

He gets up from his stool and does his best to saunter over in a way that says _I’m sexy and I know it_ , but he’s swaying too much and stumbling over his own feet, and there’s simply no denying now that he’s nearly three sheets to the wind.  

He reaches the booth and plops down beside Jensen who’s smiling like Jared’s the most amusing thing on the planet right now. Jared smiles back, because you simply can’t look at Jensen without smiling. He’s like fucking sunshine and rainbows rolled up in golden skin and freckles, and Jared really hopes he didn’t say that shit aloud because it would be horribly embarrassing.

“You’re not drinking anything,” Jared says to Jensen. “We need to fix that.”

“I think you’ve had enough to drink for the both of us, Jared. I’ll stick to water for now.” Jensen replies.

“Fine,” Jared slurs. “But you’re totally missing out.”

“So this is the infamous Jared.” The brown haired guy next to Chad speaks up. Jared didn’t notice until now that he has incredible blue eyes.

“Shut up, Misha.” Jensen says. Jared thinks he notices a blush creeping across Jensen’s cheeks.

“This, my dear Misha, is Jared Fucking Padalecki. The most awesome guy you’ll ever meet.” Chad pipes in.

“I don’t know about all that,” Jared says, “but it’s nice to meet you, Misha.”

Jared suddenly has a sick feeling in his gut. What if Misha is Jensen’s boyfriend. What if he and Chad are intruding on some kind of date. And if they are, who the hell takes someone on a date to a bar. Jensen deserves better than that. He deserves picnics or romantic walks through the woods or flowers and candy and candlelit dinners. Jensen deserves the best things in the world, not water with some messy-haired, blue-eyed douche in the middle of a dive bar.

Jared must have been ruminating on this for quite some time because the next thing he notices is Jensen nudging him.

“You alright, Jared? You look like you’ve just sucked on a lemon.”

“’m fine,” Jared lies.

“Uh huh. You look fine. How about we get you out of here and back to your motel room.” Jensen suggests.

Jared takes another shot of tequila that somehow magically appeared in front of him.

“Yeah, ‘cause that ended so well for us the last time.”

A look of disappointment flits across Jensen’s face and Jared wants nothing more than to make it go away.

“You know what, maybe you’re right. Let’s get out of here.” Jared says.

“Good. Good. Chad, Mish, we’ll see you guys later.”

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, Jare!” Chad shouts.

Jared thinks that probably doesn’t exclude much. Chad’s a wild man.

Jensen pulls Jared up and places his arm across Jared’s back, like he thinks Jared will fall over if he doesn’t hold him up. Jared just leans into Jensen. He feels warm and Jared wants to stay like this forever.  
  
They don’t talk on the walk back to Jared’s motel room, and it doesn’t feel awkward at all. The night is beautiful and the streets are bathed in amber colored light and Jensen’s arm is still around Jared’s waist, and though they aren’t saying anything, it feels like they’re saying a lot without actually saying words, and Jared couldn’t be happier.

When they reach the motel Jared thinks Jensen will just drop him off in the lobby and go on his way, but instead, he insists on making sure Jared makes it to his room safely.

The first thing Jensen says when they get into the room is “Dude, this place is a mess. And you still haven’t thrown the coffee cups away from Friday. You’re a slob.” Jared thinks he should be a little embarrassed, but Jensen’s smiling when he says it, so he just smiles back and flops down on his bed.

He wants to say so many things to Jensen right now. He wants to tell him that he’s inexplicably drawn to him. He wants to tell him he’s sorry for running out on him. He wants to tell him he wants to spend time with him when he isn’t soaked in beer and tequila, but all he manages to say is “you’re beautiful.”

Jensen really blushes then. “You’re just drunk, jared.”

“Doesn’t matter. You’re beautiful when I’m sober.”

Jensen walks over to the bed and sits down beside Jared, and all Jared can think about is kissing those perfect, plump lips.

So he does.

Or he tries to.

He manages to kiss Jensen’s cheek, and when he realizes his mistake, he goes back in for the real thing.

But Jensen pushes him away, and a little piece of Jared’s heart feels like it’s breaking.

“Jared, it’s not like I don’t want to kiss you. Because I do. I really do. But kissing someone who’s drunk doesn’t really count.”

Jared just huffs and mumbles something that he thinks sounds like an apology, then lies down on the bed and waits for Jensen to get up and leave.

Jensen does get up then, walks to the door and stops to look back at Jared.

“Try again when you’re sober, okay?”

Jared smiles as bright and wide as anything and thinks about how he can’t wait to be sober again. He’ll show Jensen what a true gentleman he can be.


	11. Chapter 11

 

There’s a banging at Jared’s door and a ringing in his head. He silently swears he’ll never drink again. And whoever’s jackhammering at his door can fuck right off because the only reason he’s getting out of bed today is to take a piss. And maybe vomit a little. Damn Chad. Damn Chad and that bar and all of the makers of all tequila across the globe. Jesus Christ, he’s hungover.

When he wakes about two hours later, the ringing in his head has subsided and the unbearable waves have nausea have passed.

He takes a cool shower, gets dressed and opens his door to head over to the café, but when he steps out into the hallway, there’s a brown sack from the café sitting in front of his door with his name written on it. Inside he finds three lemon squares, which are his absolute favorite, and he can’t help but smile. Jensen must’ve been the one at his door this morning, and he just completely ignored him.

He feels like an ass.

He takes his lemon squares back into his room, makes some crappy coffee in the even crappier coffee maker that came with the room and vows to make it up to Jensen somehow.

But right now he wants to devour these lemon squares and finish reading _Werewolf In Paris._


	12. Chapter 12

The air inside the library is cool and crisp and Jared’s never been so happy to step in out of the heat in his entire life. It’s sweltering outside, he’s drenched in sweat, hair sticking to his face, but it’s cool in here, and the smell of books fills him with contentment.

Sophia is sitting at the front desk tapping away on her laptop. She looks busy, but that doesn’t stop her from greeting Jared with a cheery hello.

“You the only person who works here?” Jared asks.

“Might as well be. Chad comes in sometimes to help put books away, but I think it’s only because he’s got a huge crush on me, and our other guy, Misha, only works on weekends. He runs the deli counter over at the Apothecary during the week.”

Jared still hasn’t checked out the Apothecary, but he’s been meaning to. Maybe he’ll go have lunch there tomorrow. Maybe he’ll even work up the nerve to ask Jensen to join him.

“I think I actually met Misha the other night at _Kanes_.” Jared’s cheeks flush with embarrassment.

“Oh no. I know that look. What did he do?” Sophia asks.

“No, no,” Jared’s quick to reply “it was nothing like that. He was just there with Jensen, and there was a lot of tequila involved. I, uh, well,  Misha seemed nice from what I can remember.”

“He’s really nice,” Sophia says. “Super weird, but really nice. He and Jensen have been best friends since high school. They’re practically joined at the hip.”

Jared perks up a little at that. So Misha and Jensen aren’t like _involved_. That’s a good thing. Jared thinks he’d have a hard time competing with the guy with the mesmerizing blue eyes, especially with how strange he’s been acting in front of Jensen since their first meeting.

“I just wanted to return this book. I know it’s late, but I’ll pay the fee, and maybe pick up another.” Jared says.

“Well, did you love it?” Sophia looks at him expectantly.

“Yeah, I really enjoyed it. Especially with the historical references.” He hands over the book with a sweet smile on his face. He really likes Sophia.

“I knew you’d love it! Now go pick out something else and I’ll let you know if you’ve made the right choice.” Sophia seems really pleased with herself, and her cheerful nature is infectious.

Jared wanders through the aisles, running his fingertips across the books, willing one to jump out at him, but nothing does. Sometimes these things take time, so he keeps walking around. He loves being surrounded by books. So much knowledge and fantasy all packed into one place. There’s nothing better than a nice library.

He eventually grabs copies of _Mating Habits Of The Lycan_ , and _ALPHA/OMEGA: A Study In Biology_ , then makes his way back to the front desk where Sophia is still tapping away, looking rather focused. When Jared drops the books on the desk in front of her she holds a finger up, and after a few seconds she looks up and apologizes. “I’m so sorry, I’m writing a short story and I was totally in the zone.”

“No worries, I’m not in any kind of rush. All I plan to do today is head over to the café and read these.”

She makes a noise of approval when she sees Jared’s selections.  
  
“These are pretty informative, but I pegged you as more of a fiction type.” She says.

“I am, usually, but lately I’ve been experiencing some strange things, and I thought something in these might help.”

“Help with what? You a werewolf or something?” She winks.

Jared ducks his head and rubs the back of his neck. As far as he can tell, everyone in this town is human and completely oblivious to the fact that people like him even exist.

“Oh my god, you totally are!” Sophia squeals.

“Yeah. I’m an Alpha.” Jared says with hesitation.

“I should have picked up on it the moment you walked in, but you’re just not like any Alpha I’ve ever met.” Sophia smiles.

Jared doesn’t let that comment bother him. She probably didn’t mean it in a bad way, and he knows he’s not like your average Alpha.

“So you’ve met a lot of Alphas?” Jared asks.

“I’ve traveled a lot since I got out of high school. It’s amazing how many different people you can meet when you get out of this little town for a while.” She answers.

“Yeah, I haven’t caught a single scent in this town that isn’t human. It’s quite curious.” Jared’s nose twitches like he wants to scent the place, but it’s just he and Sophia here, so he doesn’t even bother.

“Not really, if you think about it. I mean, it’s a really small place. There’s not a lot of attraction here. The people who live here seem pretty content to be here, but it’s not exactly the kind of place people migrate toward, and as far as I know there’s never been a pack here. I’m pretty sure you’re our first.” She’s practically bouncing in her seat.

Jared relaxes a little. He wasn’t sure how he was going to handle telling people about what he was, but if everyone around here is as understanding as Sophia, it won’t be that hard, right? Maybe he can even convince Jensen that werewolves actually exist. He’s just not sure he’s ready to have that conversation yet.

“I waived your late fee.” Sophia smiles.

Jared just flashes his biggest smile at her while she hands back his books, and when he turns to head outside into the scorching heat he hears her say “I like you, Jared. I think we’re going to be great friends.”

He glances back and with a wink he says “I think you’re right. See you later, Soph.”

 

 


End file.
